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Photo Forum / Film Photography / Darkroom / August 2004

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Darkroom Doors- are they worth it?

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Some Dude - 14 Aug 2004 15:27 GMT
I've had a darkroom for years and its basically involved a light-tight
seal around the door, etc...It works fine, period.

I'm dealing with stuff now, however, where it would be more efficient
for me to have one of these doors (e.g. I want to leave paper,
emulsion, things that are photosensitive out).  They are very pricy.
BH is talking $1,500 to $5,000.  

Does anyone here have these installed and if so, what was the main
reason for you to go to this expensive solution?  I definitely want
one but the price is unreal (at least to me).

Thanks!

Cheers,
-sd
http://www.zoom.sh
Some Dude - 14 Aug 2004 15:28 GMT
I'm sure it was probably obvious but, I'm talking about revolving
doors.

>I've had a darkroom for years and its basically involved a light-tight
>seal around the door, etc...It works fine, period.
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>-sd
>http://www.zoom.sh

Cheers,
-sd
http://www.zoom.sh
jjs - 14 Aug 2004 15:46 GMT
> I'm sure it was probably obvious but, I'm talking about revolving
> doors.

I worked several years for outfits that had _great_ darkrooms and in two we
had the revolving door. They are okay only if you never have to routinely
bring large things in and out. In other words, the if darkroom was
completely self-supporting. One of the pains was bringing in a vacuum and a
mop and bucket to routinely wipe the floors and walls (we were meticulous),
stocking large paper and mixing chemicals. (It's a Bad Idea to mix powdered
chemicals in the print room.) The better solution was to have the revolving
door _and_ a conventional door which you use occasionally for the things
mentioned above.

If you have the room, there are alternatives to the revolving door.
Somewhere on my archive disc I have some drawings. If you like I will search
for them.
Donald Qualls - 15 Aug 2004 04:39 GMT
>>I'm sure it was probably obvious but, I'm talking about revolving
>>doors.
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> Somewhere on my archive disc I have some drawings. If you like I will search
> for them.

I used to use a darkroom (in high school) that had a double door
arrangement.  What made this effective was that the doors had plywood
sectors mounted to the bottom, interfaced with a cut out plywood recess
in the floor between doors, such that only one door could be open (even
just a crack) at a time.  To enter the darkroom, you'd push open the
outer door, step into the tiny vestibule, let the door close behind you
(the doors swung into the vestibule, with spring closers), and then open
the second door and enter the darkroom.  Coming out worked the same way.

This was built by the photography instructor, I believe, and could be
recreated by any reasonably competent homeowner grade carpenter (I could
probably make one myself, and likely will once I have a permanent
darkroom of my own) for the cost of materials and hardware, and with
less effort than simply installing one of those rotating cylinder doors.

Bringing large items into and out of the darkroom is still best handled
with a second light sealed door, preferably with a deadbolt lock that
requires a key from both sides.

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                                                    -- E. J. Fudd, 1954

Donald Qualls, aka The Silent Observer
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Opinions expressed are my own -- take them for what they're worth
and don't expect them to be perfect.

AnonyMouse - 17 Aug 2004 03:17 GMT
 It depends upon your working style and the style of the lab.
 For a single-user home lab it is usually not necessary, since the user
tends to complete a task without the necessity to leave the room.
 For "gang" darkrooms, such as in professional labs or school environments,
multiple users tend to enter and exit the room while others are mid-task,
making it necessary to maintain light-proof or safelight integrity.
 Arkay has a revolving door that could be pushed out from a frame mounted
on the doorway opening. In that way, large equipment, etc. could be moved
into or out of the room unencumbered during maintenance and other
non-working time. It also eliminated the need for a separate emergency exit.
See
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=2
00929&is=REG

for an example.
 Darkroom entry mazes, mentioned elsewhere, tend to take up lots of floor
space, as do door-vestibule-door solutions.

> I'm sure it was probably obvious but, I'm talking about revolving
> doors.
Nick Zentena - 14 Aug 2004 15:38 GMT
> I've had a darkroom for years and its basically involved a light-tight
> seal around the door, etc...It works fine, period.
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> reason for you to go to this expensive solution?  I definitely want
> one but the price is unreal (at least to me).

 If you've got the room then why not two door setup? Basically the  outer
door leads into a small room. You turn 90 degrees and you've got the second
door that really goes into the darkroom. You can use the small room for
storage. Have a film fridge,chemicals whatever.

    Nick
Pieter Litchfield - 18 Aug 2004 13:17 GMT
I have used a revolving door, which seems most appropriate for a group
darkroom, like a school, where people may randomly enter and leave.  The
ones I have used work fine.  However, they are expensive, and the two door
system suggested below would get my vote for situations with "controlled"
access like one person entering or leaving.  You don't want the situation of
both doors being opened at once (two people going opposite directions) by
random chance.

> > I've had a darkroom for years and its basically involved a light-tight
> > seal around the door, etc...It works fine, period.
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>
> Nick
Gregory Blank - 18 Aug 2004 13:41 GMT
In the old days, back when I was at college :-( where I first got
the two door idea:

We had a light which came on when someone entered from the other
side....there were two lights,.... one on each room side of the
"airlock".

> I have used a revolving door, which seems most appropriate for a group
> darkroom, like a school, where people may randomly enter and leave.  The
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> both doors being opened at once (two people going opposite directions) by
> random chance.

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LF Website @ http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President,
or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong,
is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable
to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918

Gregory Blank - 15 Aug 2004 05:11 GMT
Problem is those door can limit the tray size you can take
through them. Personally I installed a second door with a
light lock space between the inside door. Kind of an
L -shaped configuration.....will be this way in my next
darkroom (coming soon in a 200 sq foot variety).

> I've had a darkroom for years and its basically involved a light-tight
> seal around the door, etc...It works fine, period.
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> -sd
> http://www.zoom.sh

Signature

LF Website @ http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President,
or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong,
is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable
to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918

Dan Quinn - 15 Aug 2004 09:53 GMT
> I've had a darkroom for years and its basically involved a
> light-tight seal around the door, etc...It works fine, period.

 Now that you mention it, I deserve better too. This thought
just popped into mind. Half a shower curtain inside, the other
half outside. That's the very basic idea.
 I just checked my door-frame's outside dimension and screw
holding potential. Looks OK. The correct width fabric should need
only be hemed top and bottom with perhaps pocket room at top for a
rod. Rings, shower style, may work well. The rods themselves may
be a bit of a hassel.                                          Dan
Scott Schuckert - 15 Aug 2004 14:40 GMT
> Does anyone here have these installed and if so, what was the main
> reason for you to go to this expensive solution?  I definitely want
> one but the price is unreal (at least to me).

How much room do you have? I once owned a camera store with a rental
darkroom; for obvious reasons, there was a LOT of traffic in and out.

I wound up building sort of a maze, with four 90 degree turns, to get
into the darkroom. The plywood walls were painted flat black. It was
bulky, but we had the room in the store basement; and it was a LOT
cheaper and more convenient than one of the commercial doors.

Uh, after the first day we realized we had to put a small safelight in
the maze, and paint a white stripe to follow on the floor...
Some Dude - 15 Aug 2004 23:02 GMT
I love that maze idea.  LOVE IT.  But no, I don't have the room for
it..My darkroom measures about 10x12' and there's no room to build out
too far.  I could *probably* do a double-door setup although it would
look sorta funky as I would not want to build a second door "inside"
the darkroom as there is simply not too much space (in otherwords i'd
build it outside the current door and grow it in such a direction
where I have a lot more room.  Thats ok if it looks weird..I'm not a
person for aesthetics...

Cheers and thanks for the info folks

>> Does anyone here have these installed and if so, what was the main
>> reason for you to go to this expensive solution?  I definitely want
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>Uh, after the first day we realized we had to put a small safelight in
>the maze, and paint a white stripe to follow on the floor...

Cheers,
-sd
http://www.zoom.sh
Dan Quinn - 16 Aug 2004 10:24 GMT
> I love that maze idea.  LOVE IT.  But no, I don't have the room
> for it..My darkroom measures about 10x12'...

 With that much room you may be able to achieve a maze effect
with rearangment of the darkroom equipment and one 2x7 foot sheet
of plywood.
 Keep in mind that it is what your photosensitive materials see.
What you see is of no consequence. I see light leaks in my darkroom
which I think might fog film. I do not handle film where it can see
those leaks. Paper with it's little sensitivity is immune to a
little white light. My guess; you worry too much.               Dan
Some Dude - 16 Aug 2004 22:59 GMT
Better safe than sorry.

>> I love that maze idea.  LOVE IT.  But no, I don't have the room
>> for it..My darkroom measures about 10x12'...
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>those leaks. Paper with it's little sensitivity is immune to a
>little white light. My guess; you worry too much.               Dan

Cheers,
-sd
http://www.zoom.sh
jjs - 17 Aug 2004 15:18 GMT
> Better safe than sorry.

Of course, otherwise darkroom illumination would be called "risklight".
Some Dude - 20 Aug 2004 00:26 GMT
;)

>> Better safe than sorry.
>
>Of course, otherwise darkroom illumination would be called "risklight".

Cheers,
-sd
http://www.zoom.sh
Scott Schuckert - 16 Aug 2004 16:51 GMT
> I love that maze idea.  LOVE IT.  But no, I don't have the room for
> it..My darkroom measures about 10x12' and there's no room to build out
> too far.

Maybe you could re-arrange things a bit... or not. Just so you're sure
what I was talking about, I drew a quick sketch. BTW, this was in a
basement; there was a small anteroom at the bottom of the steps before
entering the maze.
Some Dude - 16 Aug 2004 23:01 GMT
Can you post a url to the gif or email me?  you can find my email by
going to my website listed and clicking on the link. (spam prevention)
:)

Thanks!

>> I love that maze idea.  LOVE IT.  But no, I don't have the room for
>> it..My darkroom measures about 10x12' and there's no room to build out
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>basement; there was a small anteroom at the bottom of the steps before
>entering the maze.

Cheers,
-sd
http://www.zoom.sh
John Garand - 22 Aug 2004 05:12 GMT
ON Sat, 14 Aug 2004 10:27:34 -0400, Some Dude <some@dude.net> WROTE:

>I've had a darkroom for years and its basically involved a light-tight
>seal around the door, etc...It works fine, period.
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>-sd
>http://www.zoom.sh

The maze is amazingly effective and functional and I think all of us
would have one if we had the room.  :-)

In the last couple of years there has been the odd darkroom door on
the market as various commercial operations go digital or close their
doors (no pun intended).  I picked one up nearby for $101.   I'm not
the only person to use my darkroom and the door was easier than
coordinating when someone will be coming in or going out.
Some Dude - 22 Aug 2004 15:34 GMT
John-

How hard was it to install?  Imagine my skills pushing it by building
a room in the first place.  Plumbing the door probably took me 1/2 as
long as it did to build the entire room.

I can definitely set an alert on ebay for used darkroom doors :)

Thanks

>ON Sat, 14 Aug 2004 10:27:34 -0400, Some Dude <some@dude.net> WROTE:
>
[quoted text clipped - 24 lines]
>the only person to use my darkroom and the door was easier than
>coordinating when someone will be coming in or going out.

Cheers,
-sd
http://www.zoom.sh
 
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